Bachmann revives PAC fundraising

ST. PAUL – Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann is renewing fundraising solicitations, even though she doesn't plan to run for re-election.

The former Republican presidential candidate is once again sending email fundraising requests after her political action committee essentially sat dormant for a year. Her PAC raised about $250,000 in 2013, with about a third spent on legal bills.

Bachmann ended 2013 with more than $1.7 million in her own congressional campaign account. She can hold on to that campaign money and use it for a possible future campaign.

Washington University political science professor Steven Smith tells Minnesota Public Radio that Bachmann may have resumed her PAC solicitations because negative news over allegations of campaign finance violations related to her 2012 presidential campaign has faded.

"Now that the ethics investigation seems to have really gone nowhere, she might now feel like she's capable of raising money and that it won't be seen as tainted and that people will be excited to see her again," Smith said.

MichelePAC stands for "Many Individual Conservatives Helping Elect Leaders Everywhere," and is what's called a "leadership political action committee." Bachmann said started it in 2010 to help elect conservatives across the country.

In a recent appeal to donors, MichelePAC said money is needed to help keep the Republican majority in the House and bring a GOP majority to the Senate without draining resources from Bachmann's "own re-election campaign."

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